Gods and Monsters
by Rorry Lamb
Summary: Immortality. It can be a curse... It is a curse. A thousand years can slip away in the blink of an eye, and what do you have to show for it? For Tessa Gray, it was sad memories, a lonely existance, and a haunted smile. Then one day she met him and everything changed.
1. Chapter 1

Tessa Gray smiled kindly at the warlock standing before her. Magnus was a good friend, he truly was... But she had not been expecting him to appear in her apartment... In Los Angeles, California, hours away from Magnus's home in New York City.

"What do you want, Magnus? Not that I'm not glad your here of course." Tessa mumbled, pouring herself and her guest a cup of strong British tea.

Magnus accepted the tea with a grateful nod and a mischievous little grin. His electrical blue cat eyes glittered wickedly in the light.

"I'm shocked, Tessa, that you think I am here for something other then a friendly visit." Magnus joked.

"We are friends, Magnus," Tessa agreed, looking at the clock before continuing, "But friends don't just pop up in other friend's apartments at two in the morning... I could have killed you, you know." Tessa then took a sip of her tea.

Magnus chuckled, a deep sound that would make a woman swoon. Tessa absently touched the little clockwork Angel that dangled around her neck, it had once been her mother's. Magnus sipped his tea before speaking.

"I need you to look after one of my houses... I had hoped on taking Alec there for a small vacation but alas, Alec is very busy at the moment and my assistance is needed. You know how the Clave is. Thusly, it would be a waist for a perfectly good vacation to go to waist." Magnus waved his hand dismissively.

Tessa blinked lazily, her large grey eyes carefully studying the warlock. He was extremely handsome, it was true. Tessa could remember the first time she had ever seen him... Sadness swept over her, that had been many years ago when she was young and naive. Magnus seemed to sense her shift in emotion for he gently took her hand in his. It wasn't a romantic gesture, more of a worried fatherly one.

"Tessa," Magnus murmured, "You need this. Take a month or several off. You need a break."

"I can't just leave Magnus..." Tessa pushed a thick strand of chestnut hair out of her face.

"Look, I'm not saying you have to go. But Mystic Falls could be good for you. It's relatively quite... A few vampires here and there but you'll be safe."

"I don't know Magnus..." Tessa trailed off.

"Well if you change your mind, here's a key and here's the address to my house. Just remember, if you have a party make sure the guests stay out of the third story bedrooms. That's where I keep my personal things."

"And by personal you mean your spell books and old memorabilia from hundreds of years ago?" 

"Naturally!" Magnus scoffed. 

Tessa laughed. Tessa carefully took the offered keys, and the note pad which had an address and several other things scrawled across the top. She looked around her apartment. Over the years she had gotten several large bank accounts and a few apartments here and there. Maybe Magnus knew what he was talking about, maybe Tessa did need a break. Tessa looked at Magnus, the tall warlock stared at her expectantly. 

"Alright. I guess a vacation could be good... If you need anything while I'm away, like a place to stay or something... Or maybe if you and Alec want to get away my apartments are open to you." Tessa smiled as she spoke. 

"Glad you decided to take a trip. Oh before I forget, you must always consume vervain or wear this," Magnus removed a pouch from his jacket pocket as well as a silver chain, at the end of which dangled a silver locket, he placed them in Tessa's hand, "and always remember that a vampire must be invited into your home. If they aren't invited they can't get in... But it's not your house so even if you did invite them in they wouldn't be able to come in." 

"Oh... Ok?" Tessa was utterly confused, what kind of vampires were repelled by vervain? 

Magnus smiled. "You'll be fine. You're a powerful shapeshifter, Tessa... Well I'd best be off, Alec is waiting for me. Good luck, Tessa." With that Magnus was gone.

Tessa sighed, dropped the notepad and the keys on the counter top, and rubbed her face. There was no way she'd be getting to bed anytime before the sun rose. Tessa stood, her legs were stiff and her back ached, but she needed to pack so maybe that wouldn't be a problem. 

Tessa made her was toward her bedroom. Her apartment wasn't small nor was it big. It was just right for her and one other... If there was ever one other person. The last person Tessa had felt anything for was Jem but he had long since been dead. Leaving behind his jade pendant and memories. Tessa violently shook her head as she entered her room. 

Soon three bags were packed. She sighed, her books- well some- were packed and half of her current wardrobe was as well, but there was one more thing she needed. With a shaky breath Tessa stood and walked over to her closet where she gently pulled a lovely red gown. She never wore it but then she never had an occasion to. Tessa smiled as she carefully folded the gown and placed it with her other clothes.


	2. Chapter 2

Tessa was honestly surprised by the little town she would be spending her month in. It was small but not overly so, it was quaint. Tessa had been driving for hours, her eyes burned with exhaustion and her muscles ached from sitting for so long.

Soon, she told herself, soon. Magnus had told her that his house- although Tessa highly doubted it was a house... More likely a mansion with an indoor pool- was just outside of town. The music that drifted through the car speakers was soothing enough and took her mind off of her problems.

She drove toward the edge of town. The steady pure of her car's engine thrumming in her ears. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she pulled into the driveway of Magnus' home. Tessa fought the urge to roll her eyes. Of course Magnus would have a house like that. Tessa gracefully stepped out of the car, grabbed her bags, and made her way to the house with key in hand.

"Excuse me! Ma'am? Excuse me!"

Tessa turned, her bags dropping to the ground beside her. There was a tall red headed woman was making her way up the drive.

"Yes?" Tessa asked.

"Are you Theresa Gray?"

"Please call me Tessa..." Tessa mumbled.

"Hello," the woman smiled, "I'm Margrette Winthrope."

Tessa shook the woman's hand politely. "Magnus mentioned you." She said before turning to unlock the door.

"He's a good man... Mr. Bane I mean..."

"He is." Tessa agreed with a smile.

Tessa stepped into the house and smiled, Magnus knew how to decorate a house. Tessa grabbed her bags and followed Margrette up the winding grand staircase. Up, up, up they went until Margrette turned left at the second floor landing.

"And this is your room, ma'am. Magnus had it set up for your tastes personally. Is there anything you require ma'am?" Margrette implored kindly.

"No... No thank you, Margrette." Tessa smiled.

Margrette bowed her head then she left. Tessa bit her lip as she placed her suitcases on her bed. It was a large bed, more then big enough for two, covered in blue satin, a piano sat in one corner, a tall book case in the other, there was a desk placed in front of a large window that had an excellent view of the forest and allowed plenty of natural light in.

Tessa's hand gently took up the necklace that hung from her neck. There was no longer an angel trapped inside the pretty clockwork angel and it no longer kept her safe but it held a certain sentimental value and she couldn't bring herself to part with it. Over the years, of course, she had placed sentimental value in many things she had acquired over the years. The pendant Jem had given her, the bracelet and book Will had given her, The Starkweather family ring that her grandfather had given her, and, of course, there were things too but she slammed the door to her memories shut to quickly for them to escape.

Tessa carefully pulled her clothing- mixed particles from every era she had lived in- and placed them in the armoire. When that was done, Tessa carefully placed her jewelry box on the vanity alongside what little makeup she had brought. Once that was done Tessa found herself standing in her room with nothing to do. So she whipped out her phone and thought of calling Magnus but in the end she shoved her phone back into the pocket of her jeans, grabbed a black leather jacket and one of her aunt's scarves and left the room.

"Well it's time to explore." She mumbled to herself before slipping out of the house.

Tessa tightened the faded blue scarf that hung around her neck and stepped toward the rental car in the drive way. Normally she hated using the metal death traps bit today was different. Today she had a reason. Tessa carefully pulled out of the driveway, the song playing on the radio made Tessa cringe. Once everything had been so simple, people didn't openly speak of their sex lives, men courted their dates properly by taking them to fancy dinners and to dances were they actually danced instead of grinding against each other, the women didn't wear revealing clothes, and songs had meaning to them. With a sigh Tessa turned the radio off and continued to drive on in silence.

Tessa pulled into the Mystic Grill parking lot and quickly found a place to park. Tessa flipped through her wallet to make sure she had a wad of cash and her ID card before getting out of the car. The Mystic Grill wasn't anything special, it was nice. It had a cozy take-your-mother-here-to-eat feel to it. Tessa quickly found a seat at the bar and was promptly sought out by a handsome blonde boy with blue eyes.

"What can I get ya?" He asked pleasantly, Tessa liked him instantly.

"I'm afraid I'm new to town... What's good?" Tessa implored.

The boy laughed airily. "The burger and fries, but if you're vegan the chef makes a mean caesar salad."

"I'll take the burger." Tessa stared kindly.

"Got it... I'm Matt by the way. Matt Donovan." Matt held out his hand.

"Tessa Gray." Tessa extended her hand and gently shook the younger boy's.

"Pleasure. I'm sure you're going to love Mystic Falls. Lot's of great things to do." Matta stated before walking off to place Tessa's order.

"So what brings you to our neck of the woods?"

"A friend of mine decided I was in desperate need of a vacation." Tessa stated.

"I see... Well you're gonna love it here."

Tessa smiled kindly at the younger boy and nodded her head. Matt smiled and left

to take an order from another set of teens. Tessa stirred her straw around in her water glass, watching as a whirlpool of ice and clear liquid formed. The clockwork angel that dangled around her neck along with the jade pendant, ticked lazily. There was no longer an angel traped within the bronze angel but Tessa had kept it anyway.

"I like your ring,"

Tessa jumped slightly, then smiled bashfully at Matt. "Thanks. My great grandfather gave it to me..." Tessa glanced down at the Starkweather ring that donned her finger. The Starkweather ring glinted in the dim lighting.

"It's nice." Matt stated.

"Thank you." Tessa smiled kindly.

Matt nodded once before going to collect Tessa's food. Tessa's mouth watered pleasantly as the food was placed before her, everything smelt delicious. Tessa was about to bite into her burger when a pretty blonde sat down on the bar stool beside her. Tessa looked over at the girl, her heart tugged painfully at her chest when she saw the girl that looked so much like Jessamine.

"Hi! Caroline Forbes!"

"Tessa Gray." Tessa introduced herself while extending her hand.

"Pretty name. Welcome to Mystic Falls by the way." Caroline chirped at the odd girl. There was something different... Something not human about Tessa Gray and Caroline was going to find out what.


End file.
